Mayoral candidates want more transparency during this general election, and for donors of new political groups attacking them to come forward.

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A new political group called the Nebraska Leadership Forum is airing an ad against Mayor Jim Suttle, calling him out for raising taxes and increasing his staff’s pay.

“It's been more than 1,000 days since Jim Suttle raised our property taxes and more than 400 days since Jim Suttle gave huge pay raises to his staff at City Hall,” the ad says.

KETV NewsWatch 7’s I-Team investigated who is responsible for these attack ads. I-Team Investigator Ryan Luby learned that although the group has not filed with the state, it did file with KETV. The Federal Communications Commission requires television stations to keep record of political ad buys and to make those records publicly available.

The I-Team found out that former Nebraska GOP Director Jordan McGrain put the Nebraska Leadership Forum ad together. He's working for the group’s chairman, GOP operative Tim Barnes.

Barnes said on the record that he is simply trying to educate the public and level the playing field.

The I-Team also found that the Nebraska Leadership Forum uses a UPS box at a northwest Omaha UPS Store as its primary address. Coincidentally, it is the same UPS Store used by another new political group, the Omaha Alliance for the Public Trust, responsible for attacking mayoral candidate and Councilwoman Jean Stothert before the primary election.

Nebraska state law requires political groups to disclose their physical street addresses. Post Office boxes are not allowed, but UPS boxes are.

Neither campaign said it knew about the groups or the connection between the two.

Omaha Tomorrow is another political group airing an ad targeting Suttle’s tax record. The group has yet to file with the state or KETV. The only contact KETV has had with Omaha Tomorrow is through its ad agency in Virginia.

Campaign leaders said there are secrets in politics that need to go.

“I think if you're going to say something against, you know, the mayor or say something against the campaign, then you should attach your name to it and come out and stand by it,” said Ralph Remmert with the Suttle campaign.

“I think the process generally would benefit from more transparency,” said Ryan Horn with the Stothert campaign.